Australian patent 482212 proposed a modular screening panel system for ore screening decks which is now widely used by the mining industry and replaced the earlier screening cloths, and large wire screening frames. The screening panels were all of the same size [eg. 300 mm] and made of reinforced polyurethane. The panels are adapted to be secured to an underlying support frame using dependent spigots which are a force fit into corresponding apertures in the support frame A variety of methods have evolved for securing modular panels to the screening machines which use pin expanded spigots or edge flanges and all require complementary support frames which need to be assembled to the machine frame. Typical embodiments of these various systems are disclosed in patents 517319, 556953, 559443, 700843, 711096, 742060 and 755595.
In recent times a number of proposals have used fastening systems that engage in recesses in the underside of the edge of panels. These include Australian patents 2002300432 and 2009201671 marketed as the Polysnap™ system and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,946,428, 8,281,934, 8,025,154 and 8,123,043.
These systems hold the panels together but a common problem is that fines can enter between abutting panels and cause wear of the panels and the underlying frame because the panels are not tightly pressed together.
It is an object of this invention to ameliorate this problem in the prior art.